WHO Group Agrees On New Mechanism To Fight Poor-Quality Medicines 01/11/2011 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch 3 Comments The World Health Organization-led working group of member states addressing “substandard/spurious/falsely-labelled/falsified/counterfeit” (SSFFC) medical products has reached consensus on a new mechanism to prevent and control SSFFC medical products and associated activities. The creation of the new mechanism comes as the future of WHO involvement in an interagency anti-counterfeiting taskforce is in question.
US Copyright Office Issues Analysis Of Mass Digitisation Of Books 01/11/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment The United States Copyright Office has released a preliminary analysis and discussion document on the intersection of copyright law and the mass digitization of books.
Tech Industry Sees Harm To Internet In US “Rogue Website” Bill 01/11/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 6 Comments Trade associations representing US technology industry interests this week attacked a new House of Representatives bill aimed at fighting so-called “rogue” websites, calling it “an alarming step backwards in internet policy” that would create “a thicket of internet regulations containing 16 new legal definitions for evolving internet technology.”
UNESCO Approves Palestinian Membership; US Faces Decision 31/10/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Members of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today approved Palestine as a member state, a move expected to force the United States to choose between withdrawal from UN agencies including the World Intellectual Property Organization, or removing a national law preventing the US from funding and participating in any organization with Palestine as a member.
US Elected Officials: IP Rights, Tech Markets Key For Russian WTO Accession 31/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment The top members of the United States Congress for international trade policy have put intellectual property rights and information technology market access at the top of demands for Russia’s impending accession to the World Trade Organization.
Multiple Defendants In Patent Infringement Filing Under New US Law 28/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch Leave a Comment A company has filed a patent infringement complaint in the Eastern District of Texas that names 30 defendants, including some of the largest US technology companies, a case that reflects a change in US law as passed last month.
Plurilateral Trade Agreements Lack Protections For Users, Intermediaries 27/10/2011 by Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments The role of online intermediaries in copyright enforcement is on the international negotiating table in recent plurilateral trade agreements. Those negotiating with the US would be advised to examine carefully what is being offered, writes Margot Kaminski.
Controversial US Bill Targeting “Rogue Websites” Introduced In US Congress 27/10/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 1 Comment Legislation giving new powers to the government and copyright holders in the United States to unilaterally block payments to or take down websites deemed by US courts to be infringing intellectual property rights has been introduced into the House of Representatives. Now the policy fight begins.
WIPO Re:Search Bridges Public, Private Sectors For Neglected Disease Research 27/10/2011 by Rachel Marusak Hermann, Intellectual Property Watch 5 Comments “Neglected tropical diseases are century-old diseases and today we see new hope,” Margaret Chan, director general of the World Health Organisation, told a crowd at yesterday’s launch of a new public-private collaboration to develop medicines for the poorest countries. The project, called Re:Search, was launched at the World Intellectual Property Organization.
Revised EPO Patent For Conventional Broccoli Has Public Interest Ramifications 27/10/2011 by William New, Intellectual Property Watch 2 Comments A patent for a conventionally bred form of the common household vegetable broccoli appears to be on its way to acceptance by the European Patent Office following a change to the patent by the company filing it, according to sources. The decision not to revoke the patent, which has been the subject of protests and now calls for action in national courts, could clear the way for hundreds of other vegetable patents to follow, a source said.